The Jump From Hobby to Business
You're making candles at the kitchen table. Friends buy them. Friends of friends ask. Someone mentions wholesale.
Now what?
The difference between hobby and business isn't just volume. It's consistency, efficiency, and margins. Here's what changes when you scale up with Kerasoy.
Why Consistency Matters More at Scale
When you make 10 candles, one dud is annoying. When you make 100, one dud in ten is a 10% failure rate. That's not a business - that's a liability.
Kerasoy 4130 is formulated for consistency. Same melt point, same pour behaviour, same results batch after batch. That predictability is worth paying for when your reputation's on the line.
The Numbers at Different Scales
Hobby (10-20 candles/week)
- 1-2kg wax per batch
- Kitchen double boiler
- Manual pouring
- Cost per candle: Higher (small wax purchases)
Side Business (50-100 candles/week)
- 5-10kg wax per batch
- Dedicated wax melter (saves hours)
- Batch pouring with pitcher
- Cost per candle: 20-30% lower than hobby
Full Business (200+ candles/week)
- 20kg+ batches
- Large capacity melter or presto pot
- Pouring pitcher with spout control
- Cost per candle: 40-50% lower than hobby
What to Invest In First
1. A proper wax melter
Double boilers work for hobby scale. Beyond that, you need temperature control and capacity. A 10L wax melter with thermostat pays for itself in time saved within a month.
2. Bulk wax purchasing
Buying Kerasoy in 20kg boxes instead of 1kg blocks cuts your wax cost significantly. The break-even point is usually around 50 candles/month.
3. Consistent containers
Find a container supplier you can rely on. Nothing kills production flow like waiting for glass to arrive.
The Maths That Matter
Know your cost per candle. Actually know it.
- Wax cost (including waste)
- Fragrance cost
- Wick cost
- Container cost
- Label/packaging
- Your time (yes, this counts)
Most hobby makers undercharge because they don't count their time. At business scale, you have to.
Quality Control at Scale
Test every batch. Not every candle - every batch.
- Burn one from each batch for at least 4 hours
- Check for tunnelling, smoking, mushrooming
- Test scent throw (cold and hot)
- Document everything - batch number, date, any variations
When something goes wrong (it will), you'll know exactly which batch and can trace the cause.
Legal Requirements (UK)
Once you're selling, you need:
- CLP compliant labels (hazard symbols, safety info)
- Product safety documentation
- Business insurance
- Proper record keeping for HMRC
This isn't optional. Trading Standards can and do check.
Start With What You Have
You don't need £10,000 of equipment to start a candle business. You need consistent products, accurate costing, and customers who come back.
Scale gradually. Invest in equipment when the bottleneck is clear. Most businesses fail from over-investing early, not under-investing.
Kerasoy works at every scale. Your process has to grow with you.